Kyle Wood, a lab technician from Webster, sets up an OptiPro UFF 300 ultra form finishing machine at OptiPro in Ontario, Wayne County.

Written by

From a tiny bakery in Fairport to a nut butter manufacturer in rural Livingston County to an optics company in Wayne County, the problem of small businesses lacking the money to grow is perhaps the most daunting challenge facing the Rochester regional economy.

Maybe, just maybe, the state will pony up some funding this year to help these ventures blossom and create jobs vitally needed as larger employers continue to cut back.